


What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

by BrenanaBread



Series: Holiday Music [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, There's cursing, alyadrien mentions, and drinking (but it's aged up and legal in France so), ninette, the overuse of italics we've come to know and love from me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 03:57:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13227612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrenanaBread/pseuds/BrenanaBread
Summary: Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tightWhen it's exactly twelve o'clock that nightWelcoming in the New YearNew Year's Eve





	What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seasonofthegeek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/gifts).



> This is for the lovely seasonofthegeek, who you can find on tumblr  
> [here](https://seasonofthegeek.tumblr.com/)

Marinette’s heart ached as she watched the clock tick down the final minutes of the year. Though she’d spent all night searching for the right way to confess her feelings, nothing had worked.

She popped up to her tiptoes, peeking over the heads of her friends, searching. Her eyes caught on a flash or red, dipping down between people and twirling throughout the room, bopping along to the music.

Marinette’s fingernails dug into her palm as she tried to work herself up to going after Nino. She could just casually walk up to him and pretend to get pushed into him. He’d pull her aside to make sure she was okay, the last minute of the year would melt away, she’d look up at him through her eyelashes a silent _‘oh no, what are we going to do?’_ communicated through her gaze, and he’d look back her with an _‘I guess we have no other choice’_ response and then they would lean in to kiss and as their lips touched, the fireworks going off in her mind would make up for the lack of fireworks in Paris.

Marinette picked at the bottom of sweater, letting her mind get lost in her fantasies.

She could go up to him and tap him on the shoulder, asking if he’d like to dance. Nino would agree and they’d laugh and spin each other around until she’d work up the nerve to kiss him on the cheek. He’d blush, and she’d confess her feelings for him. He’d reciprocate, as everyone around them would count down the last seconds, and she’d jump up onto her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him down for a New Year’s kiss.

Or maybe she’d waltz up to him, telling him how much she adored his playlist as it blasted over Alya’s speakers. He’d smile and thank her, briefly pausing before mentioning that the next song was actually his favorite because it reminded him of her. And she’d wait on baited breath for the next song to take over. It would start softly, and the melody would wrap around them, masking them from the outside world. The lyrics would be a confession of love and affection, and as it faded out, Marinette would tell him she loved him. Nino would smile and kiss her, and they’d begin the new year lost in the warmth of a tender embrace.

But what if when she made her way to him, he was actually with someone else? What if he was lovingly looking at some other lucky guy or girl, prepared to confess his feelings for them? Or what if when she rushed to get to him, she tripped so horrifically she pushed him right into the awaiting arms of an attractive stranger? What if he fell in love with them right in front of her and it was all her fault?

Could her heart take it? 

Marinette took steps back until her body hit the far wall, pulling herself out of the distressful daydream. 

She couldn’t do it. She was starting the new year as a failure.

Three hours practicing in front of her mirror, all for nothing.

Marinette lightly twisted a finger around one of the curls she’d coaxed her hair into for the evening, wrapping it around and pulling on it, only to watch it snap back into place, bouncing like a spring. It tickled her neck where it brushed against her skin and she shivered.

From her side, she heard a hum as a finger and thumb gripped the edge of a curl. The digits pulled and released, repeating Marinette’s action.

 _“Boooiiiiinnnnnggg!”_ Alya said, giggling. 

Marinette smiled and flipped her hair over her shoulder as Alya pulled on another before it could escape.

“I love how _bouncy_ your hair gets when you curl it,” she laughed.

Marinette smoothed a hand over Alya’s thick waves, appreciating the warm color and soft strands. Smiling at her friend and lightly pulling on her hair teasingly, Marinette asked “And how much have you had to drink tonight?”

“Who cares? It’s my house, I’m not gonna be driving anywhere tonight.” She nudged Marinette with her elbow. “That could be you too, you know. I can get you a drink─some liquid courage─ and you _know_ you’re always welcome to stay over.”

Marinette smiled and kissed her friend’s cheek. “Thank you, I really appreciate the offer, but I think I’d rather avoid being in a room anywhere near you and Adrien tonight.”

Alya smirked. “We do know how to have a good time.”

“And you’re _loud_.”

“Adrien can’t contain himself, don’t blame me for that.” 

Marinette snorted “You egg him on and you know it.”

Alya winked. “You could get some to, if you just stopped being such a scaredy cat and talked to Nino.”

“I am not a scaredy cat.”

“Good, then prove it.”

“Alya, leave it, please. Can’t I just have one night─ _one_ party─where you leave me alone about my love life?”

Alya patted Marinette’s shoulder comfortingly. “No,” she said and Marinette let loose a huff. “Not until you stop moping in the corner of the room,” she amended. “Significant other or not, it’s New Year’s Eve and you deserve to have a good night. I just want you to be happy. And you’ve been miserable about this for _months_.”

Marinette’s eyes drooped. “I’m not _miserable_ ─”

Alya opened her mouth to cut her off before getting pushed from behind. It jostled her enough that her back foot tripped over her front. Her drink splashed over the side of the cup, hitting Marinette’s sweater right on her stomach and spreading into a dark stain.

“Oh shit _shitshitshit_ I am so sorry,” Alya said lifting her hands to try and help Marinette, but not knowing what to do.

Marinette sighed to mask her smile.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough of an excuse to leave the conversation.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom. Run the stain under some water, try to do some damage control.” She turned sharply on her heel, elbows nudging through the sweaty teens dancing all around her as she pushed her way to the restroom.

The door was closed, but Marinette couldn’t tell if there was any light shining through the crack at the bottom. Just as she lifted her hand to knock, it swung open and her fist landed lightly on a solid chest.

Her eyes connected with warm, golden ones, her flushed face slightly reflected back at her from wide glasses lenses. 

“Oh,” she said, articulately. “Sorry,” she snatched her hand back from where it rested on his shirt. “I was just checking to see if it was occupied.”

Nino smiled at her, a deep red warming his cheeks. “Good timing, then.”

They stood in front of each other for a moment, neither of them moving to let the other through.

“Don’t you need to uh,” Nino shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat “um use? The restroom?”

“Nuh-uh,” Marinette said distractedly.

Nino raised an eyebrow at her, his question obvious.

“Oh! I just needed some water for my shirt because Alya came up to me and pulled on my hair because it’s a spring and she was a little─not too much because she’s a responsible person─drunk, well not _really_ , I guess that’s what tipsy is,” her hands moved wildly in front of her as she spoke. “And she was telling me to drink but I don’t want to spend the night here with her and a loud Adrien and she wanted me to talk to yo─someone about uh something! and I didn’t want to and then she got shoved by someone dancing behind her and her drink spilled on my shirt,” she pointed to the obvious stain on her sweater “right here, see? And so I just wanted to run it under some water and try to blot some of it out, or something,” she took a large breath as she finished her rambling speech.

Nino stared at her with wide eyes for a moment, processing.

“Do you want help?” he asked softly.

She flicked her wrist, trying to feign nonchalance. “Oh you don’t have to do that! I can do it myself.” 

Nino smiled and reached a hand out to take her elbow. “I know you _can_ do it yourself, I just asked if you _wanted_ to.”

Marinette paused, pretending to take a moment to think about it, even though her mind was already made up. “Yes. Please.”

He shuffled to the side and she stepped through the doorway, her shoes clicking on the tile as she made her way to the sink.

“How do you want to do this, Mari?” Nino asked, walking up next to her.

She leaned over the sink, starting the water and wetting her fingers as she checked the temperature. “I’m just going to run it under cold water and try to coax the stain out before it sets.” She pulled on her sweater trying to get the fabric to reach the water and frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to stretch out my shirt too much,” she said with furrowed brows. She cupped her hand, letting it fill with water, and poured it over the stain to soak it.

“Alya’s got to have a facecloth somewhere around here. I could look around for one and you could use it to dab water onto the stain,” he suggested.

“Nah, I think this’ll be fine, thank you though.”

“Do you want me to find you a cup to help? Or I can just fill my hand with water too and─”

He stopped at the sound of Marinette’s laughter.

“Seriously, Nino,” she smiled, knocking her hip into his playfully “I’ve got it under control, I’m good.”

He pouted. “I feel so _useless_ , Mari,” he whined.

“I _told_ you I didn’t need any help,” she reminded him.

“Fine,” he huffed, though his smile contradicted his tone.

Just as Marinette opened her mouth to respond, her phone ringer cut her off.

“Ah, here’s your golden opportunity. Can you check my phone to see who’s calling?” She shifted her hips so he could see where her phone buzzed in her pocket.

“Thank you, I finally have my chance to shine,” he said sarcastically, pulling the phone from her jeans and checking the screen. “It’s Alya.”

Marinette turned her attention back to her sweater. “You can just pick it up, then. She’s probably just making sure I’m okay.”

He answered the call, switching it to speaker phone and was immediately cut off by Alya’s voice yelling over the background party noises.

“MARINETTE, I AM NOT A DUMBASS. IT DOES NOT TAKE THAT FUCKING LONG TO RINSE A GODDAMNED SWEATER.”

Marinette laughed under her breath, always amused when Alya hit the point of drunkenness where she cursed every other word.

“STOP AVOIDING YOUR PROBLEM,” her stomach dropped “AND JUST FUCKING TELL NINO,” she released her sweater, not even feeling the slap of cold water against her stomach, and reached for her phone “YOU LOVE HIM, OKAY?” She scrambled to grab it, “IT’S LIKE TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT AND GODDAMMIT,” wet fingers slid over her phone case uselessly “YOU’RE GONNA KISS THAT BOY INTO THE NEW YEAR IF IT FUCKING KILLS ME. YOU’VE BEEN AT THIS FOR TOO─” Marinette finally managed to end the call, watching Alya’s face fade from her phone as a deafening silence filled the bathroom.

She didn’t dare look up, afraid of meeting his eyes, afraid of the confusion and disgust she couldn’t bear to find.

The music shutoff as everyone at the party began the countdown, shaking Marinette out of her silence.

_Soixante! Cinquante-neuf! Cinquante-huit!_

“Heh. Um yeah, so like I s-said. Alya is just...like super drunk I guess,” her voice cracked.

“Marinette,” Nino called, warm voice urging her to look up. “Is that true?”

Marinette was so sick of lying. Throughout the entire year, she’d felt beaten and kicked and lost. She was so tired of trying to control every situation, so afraid of hurt and rejection that she stopped taking chances, stopped jumping into the unknown.

She straightened her shoulders, staring directly into Nino’s searching eyes, and filled her lungs with as much as they could hold. Her final breath before she risked it all.

_Trente-sept! Trente-six!_

“Yes,” somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt a wall shatter “it is.”

_Trente-trois!_

“I’m in love with you.”

A roaring filled her ears and she stared at a wide-eyed Nino, only her confession hanging in the space between them. The moment stretched on, and though she could feel part of herself dying to run, she held her ground.

“Am I dreaming?” he asked dazedly.

_Dix-huit! Dix-sept! Seize!_

Marinette reached out and pinched his forearm.

He jumped at the slight sting, but quickly recovered.

“Marinette, I am so ridiculously in love with you.”

She squeaked at the confession.

_Onze! Dix! Neuf! Huit!_

Nino’s hand lightly touched her cheek, thumb dancing along her freckles, eyes memorizing every emotion that flashed across her face.

_Cinq! Quatre!_

“Can I kiss you?” Marinette whispered, breath already ghosting over his lips.

_Trois! Deux!_

Words escaping him, Nino nodded vigorously, hat bumping onto the top of her head.

_Un!_

One hand pushed the red cap off of his head, while the other wrapped around his neck, pulling him to her in one fluid motion.

Eyes fluttered closed at the first press of lips and bodies shuffled as close as possible.

Nino’s hand left her cheek to trace his thumb along her jaw and cup the back of her neck.

Marinette ran her fingers through his hair, tugging on it lightly and revelling in the shudder she pulled from him, even though it dislodged their lips.

“Bonne année,” she whispered in the space between their mouths.

He smiled, lightly pressing his lips to hers once again, not letting them part as he replied “Bonne année, Marinette.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr at [jattendschaton.tumblr.com](https://jattendschaton.tumblr.com/). And feel free to send in holiday lyrics as drabble requests :)


End file.
